[Sigia-l] Usability Testing

[Bill Killam]

Before anyone comment, that last line should read...

"I have WORKED WITH good and bad usability people and good and bad
designers."

Bill
-------------------------------------------------------
Bill Killam, MA CHFP
President, User-Centered Design, Inc.
20548 Deerwatch Place
Ashburn, VA 20147
email: bkillam at user-centereddesign.com
Work/Fax: (703) 729-0998
Mobile: (703) 626-6318
Web: www.user-centereddesign.com


-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf
Of Bill Killam
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2007 9:35 AM
To: 'Ziya Oz'; 'SIGIA-L'
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] Usability Testing

>> I'm sure there are plenty of good IAs and UX designers doing exactly
this,
>> with no need to come to the surface on a mailing list...

>Nooooo, feel the need! Because, just as you say, "a usability tester who
>says 'We observed x, you should do y'" is indeed a very prevalent form of
>blight on the design scene.

This is another favorite techniques used in these "discussions" to compare
the perfect designer against the worst "usability specialist".  I was very
care in my first post to make several references to a qualified test person.
"We observed x and you should do y" does not qualify.  I could have easily
argued why the junior designer needs an experienced professional in HFE to
assist them, but that wasn't the question.  

A person or team conducting a test (internal or external) has a
responsibility to explain the result and accurately state what, if any,
conclusions can be drawn from them.  Usability testing is rarely done in a
comparative study or with sufficient numbers or in a controlled enough
environment to be able to make statistically valid generalizations.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of the person of conducting the test to
present sufficient rational for any conclusions drawn.  Recommendations
provided are only suggestions and similarly need justification but are not
requirements.  And I'm sorry if Ziya or any one else has had bad experiences
with other forms of usability testing, that doesn't change anything.  I have
good and bad usability people and good and bad designers.

Bill



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